Lavallette man arrested, again, for placing flag on ride

Oct. 30, 2013

Christopher Angelo stands atop the Jet Star coaster after he planted a flag in January. He was arrested Tuesday after repeating the act on the Slingshot ride at FunTown Amusement Pier. / NJ PRESS MEDIA FILE PHOTO

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SEASIDE HEIGHTS — The Lavallette man arrested in January after climbing a roller coaster in the Atlantic Ocean to place an American flag on top was arrested on the same disorderly conduct charge Tuesday for repeating the circus-like act on another ride.

On the anniversary of superstorm Sandy, which threw Casino Pier’s Jet Star roller coaster into the ocean, Christopher Angelo climbed to the top of the Slingshot at FunTown Amusement Pier, Seaside Heights Police Chief Thomas Boyd said.

Angelo, 38, used climbing gear to scale to the top of the arc-shaped ride, Boyd said. The ride was devastated after Sandy, like the rest of the amusement pier that sits on the border of Seaside Heights and Seaside Park.

While he had equipment to climb safely, “you still can’t do that,” the police chief said.

The flag will stay on the ride until the ride is removed, Boyd said. The flag placed on the Jet Star was plucked from the ocean by the same machinery that removed the ride from the water in the spring.

The flag used Tuesday did not appear to be the same flag, Boyd said.

After Angelo came back to the ground, at about 6:15 p.m., Seaside Heights police arrested him on a disorderly conduct charge, Boyd said.

Mayor Bill Akers said Angelo stopped him earlier in the evening to introduce himself, saying he isn’t crazy and would be glad to help the borough in any way going forward. A half-hour later, the mayor said he heard from Boyd about Angelo’s climb.

“I’m flabbergasted,” Akers said. “Only in Seaside. You can’t make this stuff up.”